News
Osprey chicks fledge the nest
Two osprey chicks born at Loch of the Lowes Wildlife Reserve have fledged the nest. Young female osprey PF4 took to the skies for her first maiden flight around the Perthshire Loch on 9 July. Taking a courageous leap from her large nest she landed back safely on it a few minutes later. The second…
Read MoreWorld’s first pedal cycle invented by Scottish blacksmith to be recreated
The world’s first pedal cycle invented by Scottish blacksmith Kirkpatrick Macmillan will be recreated – nearly two centuries after it was ridden around Scotland. Scottish cyclewear brand Endura hopes to revive forgotten legend of cycling history Macmillan, who created the groundbreaking bike in 1839. The bike is set to make the same journey Macmillan rode…
Read MoreNational Trust for Scotland takes Treshnish Isles under its care
The National Trust for Scotland has announced the Treshnish Isles off Scotland’s west coast is now under its protection. Eight small uninhabited islands make up the remote archipelago in the Inner Hebrides west of Mull. It is Site of Special Scientific Interest, and the islands are known for their distinctive silhouette in the seascape –…
Read MoreWorld’s oldest floral clock in Edinburgh is completed
This year’s design on the world’s oldest floral clock has been completed – with more than 50,000 flowers and plants. For 2023, the hugely popular landmark in Edinburgh’s West Princes Street Gardens will celebrate 100 years of Flying Scotsman, the world’s most famous steam locomotive. It took three gardeners just four weeks to plant the…
Read MoreNumber of critically-endangered capercaillie increases
Numbers of critically-endangered capercaillie have increased for the first time in eight years. The birds are on the verge of extinction in Scotland with numbers having decreased by more than 50% in the last five years. The latest national survey (2021/2022) estimated there are only 542 capercaillie left in Scotland. But the latest lek count…
Read MoreAuthor Michael Pedersen appointed as University of Edinburgh Writer in Residence
Award-winning poet and author Michael Pedersen has been appointed as the newest Writer in Residence at the University of Edinburgh. The Edinburgh-born author joins a stellar line-up of writers who have previously held the role including author and poet Jenni Fagan, poet and playwright Liz Lochhead, Scottish Gaelic poet Sorley Maclean and poet and teacher…
Read MoreAll-female rowing crew navigates world’s most dangerous stretch of water
A team of six women rowing 2,000 miles around Great Britain have successfully navigated a dangerous stretch of water between Orkney and the Scottish mainland. Team Ithaca is currently circumnavigating Great Britain in the GB Row Challenge, the toughest rowing challenge in the world. The Pentland Firth is widely known as one of the world’s…
Read MoreFirst winner of Fordyce Maxwell Award announced
A former student of Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) says he is ‘overwhelmed and honoured’ to be the first recipient of the Fordyce Maxwell Award for Agricultural Communications. Trainee auctioneer John McCulloch, who graduated with an HND in Agriculture at SRUC’s Edinburgh campus in 2021, was presented with the trophy by SRUC Principal Professor Wayne Powell at the…
Read MoreRobots could help farmers care for their crops and reduce chemicals
Robots are set to help farmers care for their crops and reduce the use of chemicals. Agritech robot Tom v4 will be used to remotely scan agricultural fields to locate and log weeds and crop plants. This information from the robot will then be passed through a complex AI algorithm to create a treatment map.…
Read MoreRunning up that hill: The spaniels climbing Scotland’s highest mountains
Meet the two adorable spaniels climbing Scotland’s highest mountains – with more than 250 scaled in less than two years. Pooches Hugo, aged six, and Spencer, aged three, have bagged 268 of Scotland’s 282 Munros – mountains over 3,000 feet high. Owner Hollie Jenkins, 27, began hiking the Munros with her faithful dogs in 2021…
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